Must See TV Is Watching The New Show, The Chicago Code
Must See TV Is Watching The Chicago Code
I must confess that I saw the previews for the new Fox crime drama, “The Chicago Code,” and was very much impressed – not so much about the rave reviews, but that the show initially reminded me about my boyhood… bringing to memories Jessica Beals from ‘Flash Dance’ fame. Granted that Miss Beals, now playing the top cop in Chi-Town, is no longer wearing leotards and dancing up a storm, but anyone who watched the show’s premiere came away pleasantly surprised and yearning that the episodes to come will live up to the debut. Before I get into “The Chicago Code” plot… I must shout spoiler alert so that if you are inclined to watch the show’s debut on Hulu or similar outlets, then avert your eyes. The Chicago Code is a crime drama and the bad guys are winning; not only are the bad guys winning, but they have powerful enablers in high places like Delroy Lindo, who plays an Alderman.
Mr. Lindo is so powerful that it is said that he has more power than the Chicago Mayor. In essence, when you see Mr. Lindo in his $3,000.00 suit, an expensive ornate office, a disgustingly, pretty secretary/concubine, and his command for the Queen’s English, you might be fool too – but make no mistake, you will know the true meaning of Satan has the ability to appear as an angel of light when you realized that one phone call from Mr. Lindo’s character and you are wearing the proverbial toe tag. Case in point, in the middle of the episode, we see a civic minded citizen, who is privy to corruption in the city’s construction contracts, coming to Mr. Lindo because she voted for him and trusts him to know what to do with the information about venal city officials tied up with the mob… a few days later, the woman and her husband are gunned down while jogging.
The writing is lingeringly addictive because each main character of ‘The Chicago Code’ was permitted to narrate how he or she came to his or her station in life: Jennifer Beals, for instance, as teenager, watched her father lose his store because of his need to perpetually pay the crime lords off for protection and the like; Miss Beals then becomes a cop and worked her self up the ranks, ironically with help from Delroy Lindo’s character. Miss Beals is aware that her benefactor is mobbed up and she has assigned a reluctant Polish streetwise cop - brilliantly played by Jason Clarke - to assist her in bringing down Lindo.
Mr. Clarke's character is tough as nails and we found out that his brother died on the job and that he also comes from a long line of the boys in blue. Incidentally, Mr. Clarke's character is divorced with a teenage son… and that he also has a new fiancé, who, he is cheating on with his ex wife. There is a rather hilarious scene where Mr. Clarke is hiding out in his ex-wife’s closet because their son came home early and interrupted their love making; when the son left, we hear the ex-wife inquiring about when will Mr. Clarke tell his fiancé about the rekindling of their relationship.
To underscore the brilliant writing, we hear the narration by Miss Beals’ driver… who she recruited out of a life of crime and convinced him to go to the academy. Before we could hear the rest of the driver’s narration… he is gunned down… taking the fatal bullets that were meant for Miss Beals. I hope I have whetted your appetite to at least look at the debut episode of Fox’s,”The Chicago Code.”
